The Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team saw their season come to an end after a 67-59 loss to the University of Connecticut (UConn) in the NCAA Tournament on Friday night (March 21). Despite a strong effort, the Sooners couldn't overcome UConn's late-game surge, led by Alex Karaban's crucial plays.
Karaban scored 13 points, including a pivotal three-pointer and a floater in the final minutes, helping UConn secure their victory. UConn, seeded eighth in the West Region, extended their March Madness winning streak to 13 games, tying with Duke for the second-longest streak in history. The Huskies will now face top-seeded Florida in the next round.
Oklahoma's freshman Jeremiah Fears led the Sooners with 20 points, but the team struggled with shooting, hitting only 32.1% of their shots and making just three out of 17 three-pointers. Despite the loss, Sooners' head coach Porter Moser praised his team's effort, especially on defense. "I couldn't have asked for any better effort from our guys, especially defensively," said Moser.
Oklahoma ends their season with a record of 20-14, having been part of the Southeastern Conference's record haul of 14 NCAA bids. Meanwhile, UConn continues their pursuit of a third consecutive national title, a feat only achieved by a few teams in NCAA history.